Ryefield Models 1/35 British Main Battle Tank Challenger 2 TES Kit

The Challenger 2 TES (Theatre Entry Standard) also nicknamed "Megatron" is the latest generation of British Main Battle Tank (MBT) in the Challenger 2 family. The design of the Challenger 2 was fully completed by August 1989. The British government selected the Challenger 2 and placed an order worth around £520 million for 127 Challenger 2 MBTs in 1991. Production commenced in 1993 with first production vehicles completed at the Alvis Vickers Leeds facility in 1994. The Challenger 2 MBT was accepted in service with the British Army in 1994. The same year, Alvis Vickers was awarded a second contract by the British MoD for the supply of an additional 259 Challenger 2 MBTs. The Challenger 2 TES Megatron is very similar to the M1 Abrams TUSK (Tank Urban Survival Kit) in terms of protection. The TES system was developed to increase protection of the tank against tandem warheads and IED (Improvised Explosive Device) threats. The Challenger 2 Megatron was presented for the first time to the public in June 2013 at the DVD defense event in Millbrook, United Kingdom. A new version of the Challenger 2 Megatron was unveiled in July 2016 at the Tank Fest in Bovington fitted with a new armor design. This latest version is fitted with a combination of reactive, passive and bar armor providing unique protection against new threats of the modern battlefield. The Challenger 2 TES Megatron can be fitted with variable armor depending on the nature of the threats and the type of battlefield where the tank must be deployed.